Monday, June 29, 2015

Home Seller Tips: What signals are you sending?

Even in a market favoring sellers, there seems to be one thing that holds true regardless of market....buyers interpret what they see as a signal from the buyer.

Pricing way above the market could be interpreted as a seller really is not interested in selling. This does not mean that an optimistically reasonable price consistent with location, competition and condition is not appropriate.

A dirty, cluttered interior could signal a seller has not cared for their home in the past so prospective buyers might expect problems when it comes to routine maintenance and upkeep items.

An ill kept yard and exterior of the house may signal a seller is desperate and a lack of money may be preventing exterior maintenance. Why else would a seller not prepare their yard and outside? Curb appeal is so important.

Missing items of equipment such as pool equipment or hurricane shutters may again be interpreted as a lack of maintenance and attention to detail by the seller.

In my experience most of the above "signals" are rarely accurate. Many times a seller will over estimate their home's appeal because they fail to look through the eyes of a prospective buyer.

So how can a seller protect themselves from sending the wrong signals?

Prepare. De-clutter. De-personalize. Clean. Spend some extra time in the yard. Paint the front door. Have maintenance records nearby on a counter for buyers to view. Have a pre-listing inspection performed. Address any issues noted during the inspection. Provide a copy of the pre-listing inspection with the maintenance records.

By taking the time to send the right signals to prospective buyers a seller is more likely to receive the right signal from a buyer - a reasonable offer!